Along an assembly line, diapers and various types of other disposable absorbent articles may be assembled by adding components to and otherwise modifying an advancing, continuous web of material. The processing of web materials into products may include a process wherein the various web materials are unwound from a supply roll or spool and subsequently processed to form at least a portion of a disposable absorbent article. Webs of material and component parts used to manufacture disposable absorbent articles, such as diapers, training and pull-up pants, incontinence briefs and undergarments, cleaning and dusting devices, and feminine hygiene garments may include: backsheets, topsheets, absorbent cores, front and/or back ears, fastener components, and various types of elastic webs and components such as leg elastics, barrier leg cuff elastics, and waist elastics, for example. Due to the finite nature of any supply roll, it may be necessary to slow or stop the manufacturing process to replace an exhausted supply roll of the web material. Slowing or stopping an otherwise continuous process may be detrimental to process productivity and may adversely impact the costs associated with the manufacture of the finished process. Further, with products incorporating a variety of web materials that are each supplied to the process on a separate roll, a number of unwinding devices (“unwinders”) or other ancillary equipment may be required to unwind the various rolls during the manufacturing process. Additionally, each unwinder may typically require a controller for controlling the activity of the unwinder.